There are many ways to live life. Sometimes we choose to appreciate certain things in life. We then aim to build on these things and continue to enjoy life.
Sometimes we choose to pursue alternatives to the things we don’t like. We then do our best to find ways that encourage both ourselves and other people.
Sometimes we choose to accept certain things in life. We then choose: a) to build on what we can control; b) to do our best to manage these things in a way that helps ourselves and other people.
Different people choose to pursue this latter approach in different ways. Let’s explore how some follow it in their lives and work.
Choosing To Accept And
Manage Certain Things In Life
Looking at your own life, what may be some of the things that you appreciate and want to build on? There may also be some situations where you are continuing to focus on finding alternatives.
What may be some of the things you are prepared to accept? Certainly you may do your best to deal with these, but there may also come a point when you choose to manage them.
As mentioned earlier, different people follow this approach in different situations. Let’s look at some people who take this path.
A football coach had their playing career cut short by an injury. They chose to throw themselves into coaching, get their badges by the age of 29 and went on to have a successful coaching career.
An interior designer lost their sight in one eye. They focused on designing homes for people with limited sight. Their work eventually led to them taking up a position on the country’s national board for design.
One person described how their partner had a life-threatening illness and had quarterly tests to check whether the disease had spread. The person described how both they and their partner chose to live fully during the time between tests.
An empathetic person faced a challenging situation that it took them years to accept. This involved them having an alcoholic brother who refused to give up drinking and whose behaviour caused problems.
They had spent years trying to help their brother – sometimes at their own cost. They eventually accepted there was a limit how they could help their brother.
The person finally chose to limit their interaction with their brother. This was challenging but also necessary. There was little the person could do until their brother chose to take responsibility for their action and stay sober.
Different people choose to accept and manage different things in their lives and work. Here are some that they mention when exploring this theme.
The Things I Choose To Accept
And Manage In My Life Are:
To accept and learn how to manage grief … To accept who I am and not compare myself to others … To accept getting older – though sometimes disgracefully.
To learn how to manage my energy as I get older … To focus on the things I can influence rather than those I can’t … To spend time with people who are positive and not try to change people who are negative.
To help our dyslexic son to build on his strengths rather than expect the school system to take this approach … To recognise what I can and can’t do to help people to reach their goals.
Different people choose to accept and manage different situations. When taking this approach, it may be because they focus on the following themes.
They have already tried to do their best regarding the situation.
They recognise there are some things they can control regarding the situation and there are other things they can’t control.
They accept the importance of focusing on what they can control and then do their best to manage the situation.
Let’s return to your own life and work. Looking ahead, can you think of a specific situation where you may want to follow elements of this approach? This could be in your personal or professional life.
What may be the specific situation? What may be the reasons why you are now prepared to accept it? How can you then do your best to manage it? What may be the benefits of taking this approach?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
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